A walk through Wayne County farmer Lance Lange’s pastures and fields shows the area’s dire need for moisture.

The last real rainfall there—if you can call it that—was just 0.6 of an inch on July 25. Before that, it was a 4-inch rain in June.

“June 15 we had the best potential for a crop,” he said. “We had a great start.”

He’s measured about 6 inches of moisture...